Expert calls for videotaping of garda interrogations

Recording police interviews in serious cases helps prevent suspects alleging officers were acting oppressively, the Morris Tribunal heard today.

Recording police interviews in serious cases helps prevent suspects alleging officers were acting oppressively, the Morris Tribunal heard today.

Det Chief Insp. Gary Shaw, an UK expert on police interviewing techniques, said the last confession to be deemed inadmissible in the UK due to oppressive interview techniques was in 1993.

The chief inspector, who is attached to Northumbria Police but working with the Centre for Police Excellence, detailed the examination and improvements in the system of interviewing of witnesses and suspects over the past decade.

Chief Insp. Shaw said videotaping allows people to make an informed assessment on the day and as the investigation progresses.

"It allows you the full picture because unfortunately the written word does not always provide that full picture. The phrases, how people have said, how people interact," he said.

The inspector said there had been a downturn in the number of challenges made to confessions on the basis of improper or oppressive interviewing behaviour due to electronic recording.

"The audio tape now stops all of that, the videotape is that step further where you can see the full picture in the room so there is nobody doing things they shouldn't be in the interview room," he said. "That stops the allegations."

The Morris Tribunal, which is investigating garda corruption in Donegal, is currently hearing claims some 12 people - many related to the McBrearty family - were interrogated, intimidated and abused during interviews with officers during the botched death probe.

It was later found Richie Barron was the victim of a hit-and-run in October 1996 rather than assault. No-one has ever been charged in relation to his death.

The tribunal heard there was a confession based culture in police work in the 1990s.

"There were times where that drive to get confessions caused problems as was highlighted in some miscarriages of justice," he said. "So it was a mindset to try and change people to understand that the role of the investigator was to discover the truth, and that is from everybody."

"This was to cover that if somebody came and said I did it, it wasn't as simple as that things needed to be tested if a witness said something had happened that needed to be corroborated and tested but it was important in investigative interviewing that officers must have an open mind."

Chief Insp. Shaw said there was a pilot project carried out on the visual recording of suspect interviews in 2001 with new codes of practice introduced.

"I would certainly encourage it at serious crime levels to visually record the suspect interviews," he said.

"There is a separate remote monitoring room, which in a serious case, an interview advisor, a senior investigating officer, and perhaps a member of the inquiry team (can sit in) in case any actions came out of interview that needed to be addressed very quickly," he said.

"They would simply be watching the interview as it progresses, and be able to give feedback in times where there is a break between interviews."

He said supervisors look through the tapes on a random basis to ensure correct interview techniques.

Chief Insp Shaw said the videotapes of interviews are only given out to people after they have been charged and they are given to solicitors who have agreed to retain them.

"You don't want those videos being passed around or the information, there might be the identity of officers, various reasons for that," he said.

He said a suspect cannot be interviewed until they are taken to the station and anything said in the car on the way would be discussed straight away with the solicitor.

more courts articles

Man (25) in court charged with murdering his father and attempted murder of mother Man (25) in court charged with murdering his father and attempted murder of mother
Man appears in court charged with false imprisonment of woman in van Man appears in court charged with false imprisonment of woman in van
Man in court over alleged false imprisonment of woman Man in court over alleged false imprisonment of woman

More in this section

Irish homelessness Government criticised for missing social and affordable housing targets
National Risk Assessment for Ireland Tánaiste urges Israel ‘to show humanity’ and allow more aid into Gaza
Lego set based on RNLI lifeboat could soon become a reality Lego set based on RNLI lifeboat could soon become a reality
War_map
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy Brand Safety FAQ Help Contact Us Terms and Conditions

© Examiner Echo Group Limited